Invasives

Abelmoschus moschatus is a weedy, herbaceous plant that is native to India, parts of China and tropical Asia, and some Pacific islands. It is cultivated in India for the musk-like oil contained in its ...

Probably a native of tropical America, Acacia farnesiana was introduced to many tropical countries for its bark, gum, seed and wood. It is often planted as an ornamental or to check erosion, and is al ...

Acacia longifolia is a shrub or small tree that is part of the nitrogen-fixing Acacia family. Native to the South-eastern coast of Australia, it has naturalised in many other places and has become inv ...

Acacia mangium is a fast-growing tree that produces many seeds. Used for forestry and ecological restoration, it was widely planted and cultivated in many Pacific islands. It has naturalized in many c ...

Acacia mearnsii is a fast growing leguminous (nitrogen fixing) tree. Native to Australia, it is often used as a commercial source of tannin or a source of fire wood for local communities. It threatens ...

Acacia melanoxylon is native in eastern Australia. This tree grows fast and tall, up to 45m height. It has a wide ecological tolerance, occurring over an extensive range of soils and climatic conditio ...

Acacia nilotica is a small tree 4 to 5 metres tall that was initially introduced to tropical areas for shading and forage. It forms dense stands that limit access to water for livestock, diminish the ...

Water wattle (Acacia retinodes) is a small tree native to Australia. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree in warmer parts of the world. It is known to have naturalised in California where it has spr ...

Coral gardens from Micronesia and Polynesia provide valuable marine resources for local communities and environments for native marine species such as marine fish. In coral ecosystems already affected ...

Acanthocereus tetragonus is native to South America and Central America and is the most popular and largest cactus of its kind, growing from 2 to 7m tall. This cactus can form impenetrable thickets th ...

Acer ginnala, commonly known as Amur maple, is a decidous tree, native to Russia and northern China. It was introduced into the United States as an ornamental, due to its vibrant colours in autumn. It ...

Acer platanoides is a decidous maple, native to Europe. It is commonly planted as an ornamental along streets and in parks. It has escaped and invaded natural forested habitats all over North America. ...

Adelges tsugae is a small, aphid-like insect that has become a serious pest of eastern hemlock and Carolina hemlock. The most obvious sign of infestation is the presence of white, woolly egg masses o ...

A medium-sized tree up to 15m high, Adenanthera pavonina is native to India and Malaysia. It has been planted extensively throughout the tropics as an ornamental and has become naturalised in many cou ...

The Asian tiger mosquito is spread via the international tire trade (due to the rainwater retained in the tires when stored outside). In order to control its spread such trading routes must be highlig ...

Ageratina riparia is a popular ornamental plant that has been widely spread from its home region in Central America. It is naturalised in many tropical regions of the world and is invasive in some suc ...

Agrostis capillaris is a perennial grass that inhabits various environments ranging from urban to coastal wetland, including grassland as well as near arctic regions of the world. In areas of invasion ...

Ailanthus altissima is a very aggressive plant, a prolific seed producer (up to 350,000 seeds in a year), grows rapidly, and can overrun native vegetation. It also produces toxins that prevent the est ...

Akebia quinata, also known as chocolate vine, is a twining woody vine that grows quickly and, if left unmanaged, can cover, out-compete and kill existing ground level herbs and seedlings, understorey ...

Albizia julibrissin is commonly used as an ornamental tree because of its appealing fragrance, showy flowers and low maintenance requirement. It has escaped from the urban landscape and competes with ...

Albizia lebbeck probably originated in tropical Asia and was introduced for forestry or erosion control in many countries. Fast-growing and reaching 18 to 30m in height, it is now naturalised mainly i ...

Samanea saman is a leguminous tree which can easily reach a height of 25 metres. It has been distributed around the world, mostly in tropical climates and has become naturalised in many countries. Sam ...

Aleurites moluccana can grow up to 15 or 25m in height in adulthood. This tree is originally from south-east Asia and it has been introduced to many tropical regions. It is grown for its nuts, which a ...

The infaunal polychaete Allita succinea, also known as the pileworm, is native to the Atlantic coast and now occurs along the coasts off North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa and the Black ...

It is believed that European settlers brought Alliaria petiolata to North America for cooking purposes. Alliaria petiolata may outcompete native herbaceous species and negatively impact ecosystems of ...

Alosa pseudoharengus (alewife) is a small, fish species indigenous to the east coast of North America that causes several major effects in aquatic environments. Alewife migrate from the ocean to spawn ...

Alternanthera philoxeroides, commonly known as alligator weed, is a perennial stoloniferous herb that can be found in many parts of the world, infesting rivers, lakes, ponds and irrigation canals, as ...

Alternanthera sessilis is a weed that inhabits many areas of the world. It occupies moist areas and can be found from sea level to over 2000m. Alternanthera sessilis is a pest of sugarcane, a weed of ...

Ameiurus nebulosus, the brown bullhead, is a species of catfish native to North America and introduced to a number of other countries around the world as a game fish. It is a hardy species that can to ...

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata is a deciduous, climbing vine of the grape family. It is a hardy species that can adapt to a variety of environmental conditions, growing especially well in moist soils ex ...

Annona squamosa is native to tropical America and perhaps the Caribbean. Annona squamosa is the most cultivated species of the genus Annona and it grows wild in virtually all tropical areas. It is nat ...

The green anole, Anolis carolinensis is a moderate sized arboreal lizard native to the southeastern United States. Most likely spread through unintentional transport, alien populations have managed to ...

A pair of Anolis richardii was intentionally released into a garden in David Simonstraat, Rainville District on the northern edge of Paramaribo in May, 1973. In January, 1974, at least ten juveniles w ...

Anoplolepis gracilipes (so called because of their frenetic movements) have invaded native ecosystems and caused environmental damage from Hawaii to the Seychelles and Zanzibar. On Christmas Island i ...

Anredera cordifolia, commonly known as Madeira vine is a succulent climbing vine. The combination of fleshy leaves and thick aerial tubers makes this a very heavy vine. It smothers trees and other veg ...

Anthonomus grandis is a brown to greyish-brown beetle native of Mexico to Central America and invasive in the United States. A. grandis feeds and develops only in cotton and closely related tropical ( ...

Antigonon leptopus is a smothering vine that invades disturbed areas and forest edges. It produces many seeds, which are spread by water currents and animals that consume the fruit. It has become inva ...

Aphanomyces astaci commonly referred to as crayfish plague is an oomycete or water mould that infects only crayfish species. It is endemic of North America and is carried by North American crayfish sp ...

Ardisia crenata is an ornamental, cultivated for its very decorative red fruit, but it is easily naturalised and has become highly invasive in mesic forests in several regions of the world (e.g. Masca ...

Ardisia elliptica is a shade tolerant evergreen tree whose fast growth and attractive fruit made it a popular ornamental plant in the past. It has escaped from private and public gardens to invade nat ...

Asparagus densiflorus, commonly known as asparagus fern, is not a true fern. It reproduces by seed. A. densiflorus is known to invade a variety of habitats, and its impacts include smothering of fores ...

Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is described as a persistant weed of cultivated land in its introduced range. It is found growing in waste places and along roadsides. It is classified as inva ...

Originally found in far north Pacific waters and areas surrounding Japan, Russia, North China, and Korea, the northern Pacific seastar (Asterias amurensis) has successfully invaded the southern coasts ...

Asystasia gangetica is an ornamental herb native to India, Malaysia and Africa. With its ability to reproduce by vegetative propagation and form dense vegetation mats, this species can be highly invas ...

Aulacaspis yasumatsui (cycad aulacaspis scale (CAS)) or the Asian cycad scale, is highly damaging to cycads, which include horticulturally important and endangered plant species. The cycad scale is a ...

Azolla pinnata can spread rapidly, and has the ability to survive on moist soil in and around rivers, ditches, and ponds. It forms dense surface mats, which degrade water quality by reducing oxygen le ...

Bacopa monnieri is a small sprawling herb common in fresh and brackish waters. It is found growing in freshwater wetlands, wet pastures and margins of ponds on Grand Cayman where it is listed as an in ...

Batillaria attramentaria, commonly known as the Asian hornsnail, was introduced to America from Japan at some point in the late 1920s and early 1930s. It is found in the United States in California an ...

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a non-hyphal parasitic chytrid fungus that has been associated with population declines in endemic amphibian species in upland montane rain forests in Australia and P ...

Begonia cucullata is a herbaceous perennial plant native to South America. The begonia genus includes nearly 900 species and almost all of the Begoniaceae family. Many species have been used to obtain ...

Bemisia tabaci has been reported from all continents except Antarctica. Over 900 host plants have been recorded for B. tabaci and it reportedly transmits 111 virus species. It is believed that B. taba ...

Berberis thunbergii is a shrub native to Japan. When introduced it can invade a variety of habitats from damp lowlands to dry roadsides and waste places. This species forms dense stands in a variety o ...

Feral cattle (Bos taurus) are escaped or released domestic animals. Unless well contained by adequate fences, they form feral herds and wander into native vegetation wherever suitable food is availabl ...

The perennial buffalo grass (Urochloa mutica) can grow to heights of two meters, it is found growing in wet fields, ditches and gullies from sea level to 700mts. It forms dense monotypic stands by lay ...